Content to tread water, yet constantly drifting farther away in the trend of the current, I was able to observe all that took place.

The sun had disappeared, and the western shore rested obscured by a purple haze, the wide stretch of water between slowly darkening.

Light lingered still, however, along the clay hills of Yellow Banks, crowded with those soldiers left behind, who had gathered to speed the departure of their more fortunate comrades.

The decks of the _Adventurer_ were black with men, their cheers and shouts echoing to me along the surface of the river.

Slowly the steamer parted from the shore, as the paddle-wheel began to revolve, flinging upward a cataract of spray, the space of open water widening, as the advancing bow sought the deeper channel, and headed northward.